MOROCCO CONVOKES P5+SPAIN TO REVIEW HAIDAR CASE

C O N F I D E N T I A L RABAT 000941

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR NEA/MAG, PRM/AFR, IO/UNP, H, AND DRL/NESCA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/29/2019
TAGS: PHUM PREF PREL MO
SUBJECT: MOROCCO CONVOKES P5+SPAIN TO REVIEW HAIDAR CASE

REF: A. RABAT 0915 (NOTAL)

B. RABAT 0935 (NOTAL)

Classified By: CDA Robert P. Jackson for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary: The Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs on
November 26 summoned representatives of the P5 and Spain to
discuss the Aminatou Haidar case and its potential effect on
UN-brokered negotiations over the status of the Western
Sahara. The GOM asserted that the next move is Haidar's and
encouraged those present to ask her what she wanted. P5
representatives reiterated support for the UN process, urged
a quick resolution of Haidar's case, and warned the GOM that
it was losing the public relations battle. End summary.

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Moroccan Law v. Public Relations
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2. (C) MFA Director General for Multilateral Relations and
Chief of Staff Nasser Bourita convoked senior U.S., British,
French, Chinese, Russian, and Spanish diplomats to discuss
the Aminatou Haidr case and to once again review what
happened at the Laayoune Airport on November 13 (Refs A and
B). Bourita stressed that Moroccan actions were in
accordance with Moroccan law and asked that negotiations on
the Western Sahara not be held hostage to Haidar's actions.
In addition to reiterating the events of November 13, Bourita
used the two-hour meeting to emphasize that to have made an
exception and allowed Haidar to enter Morocco without filling
out the entry card would have required a change to Morocco's
Constitution and legal code -- something Morocco was not
prepared to do. Bourita noted that she was not arrested but
was returned to the location from which her flight
originated, adding that the U.S. would have done the same
thing. He stressed that the GOM believed it had done nothing
wrong and was only adhering to its own laws.


3. (C) The U.S., UK, and Spanish representatives responded
by underscoring the need to find a quick and pragmatic
solution to the standoff. Notwithstanding Bourita's
assertions about the legality of the GOM's actions, the
British DCM warned that Morocco was rapidly losing the public
relations battle, as human rights groups throughout Europe
and elsewhere were increasingly of the opinion that Morocco
was not interested in finding a solution -- a sentiment
echoed by all except China and Russia. (Note: The Russian
DCM made no comment, and the Chinese DCM stated only that if
Haidar had refused to sign an entry card in China, she would
have been returned to her point of origin. End Note.) The
U.S. also underscored concern about Haidar's health.

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Next Steps
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4. (C) Apparently concerned about the potential impact of
the incident on the UN process to find a negotiated solution
to the conflict over the Western Sahara, Bourita called it an
attempt to derail the process, adding that the Polisario was
already using it as an excuse to defer negotiations. He
called upon the P5 1 representatives to not hold the
negotiations hostage to the Haidar incident and to appeal to
the UNSYG and Personal Envoy Christopher Ross to pressure the
Polisario and Algeria to continue the planned talks. Bourita
again stated that the GOM would consider reinstating Haidar's
Moroccan citizenship if she was willing to admit that she was
Moroccan.


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Visit Embassy Rabat's Classified Website;
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Moro cco
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JACKSON